Meet The UVA Team

 Dr. Tara Hofkens is our Principal Investigators. With a PhD in Learning Science and Policy and an M.S. in Applied Developmental Psychology, Dr. Hofkens applies her expertise as a Research Assistant Professor at UVA to study the dynamics of engagement and social interactions in school, and how classroom experiences contribute to developmental and educational trajectories from early childhood through adolescence.

One of our Principal Investigators, Bob Pianta, is the founding director of the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning at UVA, among many other titles. An internationally recognized expert in both early childhood education and K-12 teaching and learning, Dr. Pianta's research and policy interests focus on the intersection of education and human development. His work has advanced conceptualization and measurement of teacher-student relationships.

Karime is the APL project manager at the Virginia site. She has an M.Ed. in educational psychology and developmental applied science from the University of Virginia. Karime works at the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, where she has gained valuable experience managing large scale research projects on children’s curiosity and creativity, teacher and children SEL. In her role she collaborates with and supports teachers, coaches, and the research team. 

Jane is our Research Administrator supporting all administrative tasks and the Research Assistant team. She is also the Coordinator for the cross-site classroom observers, while managing incoming research data. She has a B.S. In Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis and an M.B.A. from the University of Texas-Austin. Jane had four years of experience working with cognitive research in college. Prior to APL, Jane was a project lead in Virginia Beach, while being a classroom observer and data collector. She brings different perspectives to the role. Jane especially enjoys building partnerships between schools, administrators, staff and students.

As one of our coaches, Jen serves as an Education and Outreach Manager at UVA's School of Education and Human Development. Jen has been an educator for over 20 years and is excited to share APL with elementary school teachers. She especially enjoys working with diverse groups of learners and developing classroom strategies to promote student collaboration, individual growth, and a lasting love of learning.

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Kat has a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and over 10 years of experience teaching, mentoring, and coaching in Northern Virginia. In her time in Fairfax and Prince William counties, she has worked in a variety of communities with wide ranges of strengths and needs. Kat joins the APL team with extensive experience accelerating the growth of learners through collaborative and culturally responsive teaching. She believes in a strengths-based approach to foster a joy for learning in the students and teachers she supports. 

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Laura is an experienced educator with a master’s degree in elementary education and over 20 years in the field. She has worked as both a teacher and administrator in elementary schools. Laura is passionate about creating inclusive, supportive learning environments where students feel valued for their unique strengths and empowered to thrive as confident learners. Laura is thrilled to join the APL team, where she looks forward to collaborating with fellow educators to design engaging, multisensory learning experiences that inspire a lifelong love of learning in all students.

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Sarah Weitlich is an Active Playful Learning (APL) Coach at the University of Virginia. She holds a master’s degree in Reading from Longwood University, is certified in K–6 education, Mathematics, and English Learner (EL) education, and has eight years of teaching experience in both Northern and Southern Virginia. Weitlich is passionate about working with students and supporting educators by recognizing the strengths already present in their classrooms. She values the expertise teachers bring to their work, enjoys finding ways to enhance their existing practice, and is excited to help teachers weave movement, collaboration, curiosity, and play into meaningful learning experiences.

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Holly is an Active Playful Learning (APL) coach at the University of Virginia's School of Education and Human Development, bringing over 20 years of experience in education to the APL team. As a classroom teacher, intervention teacher, and instructional coach, she has a heart for reaching culturally, ability, and linguistically diverse students and is so excited to be a part of the APL program. She is trained in Multisensory Math and the Orton-Gillingham approach, bringing specialized expertise in literacy and math intervention to her coaching. Holly brings a strengths-based lens to her work, drawing on the interests and lived experiences of both students and teachers so that learning feels meaningful, relevant, and joyful.

Linh is a Research Data Collector and serves as an Anchor for the Virginia Observation Team. She has several years of experience in human resources, learning and development, and education. She is an incoming master’s student in Analytics at Georgia Tech and is especially interested in using data to better understand learning and educational experiences. In her role with APL, she conducts classroom observations, collects research data, and helps maintain observer reliability across the Virginia team.

Hannah serves the APL project as a Research Assistant and Data Collector. She recently graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Sociology. During her time at VCU, she gained valuable experience as a Research Assistant at VCU Children's Hospital in Richmond, Virginia where she supported pediatric patients and their families. She is passionate about applying this knowledge and experience to her role with the APL (Active Play Learning) project. 

Zeina is a research data collector for the APL project. She has an M.A. in Clinical Psychology with a child/Adolescent Concentration. She is excited to be a part of the team and to be involved in the different aspects of research. 

Rachel serves as a Research Assistant and Data collector for the APL project. She graduated from Arcadia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. After graduation, she worked for 2 years in mental healthcare where she worked with youth struggling with various mental health conditions. She is very excited to be joining this team and contributing to creating happier classrooms for children.